Latest: Democrats and Trump clash in latest State of the Union standoff
In Washington, tensions between President Donald Trump and House Democrats reached a peak during his State of the Union speech Tuesday night, the latest flashpoint in an escalating showdown over immigration, alleged fraud and the handling of the Epstein files. The confrontation featured shouted exchanges on the House floor, an ejection and coordinated walkouts and alternative events by Democrats.
Latest clash over immigration and a fraud investigation in Minnesota
Democratic lawmakers loudly interrupted Trump as he discussed illegal immigration and a fraud investigation into the Somali community in Minnesota. The disruptions grew as Trump declared that Democrats should be "ashamed, " prompting sustained heckling from members of the Democratic caucus and visible protest signs in the chamber.
Omar, Tlaib and McBride lead vocal protest and walk out
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., shouted back at the president, "You should be ashamed!" Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., at one point yelled, "Liar!" Both Tlaib and Omar grew louder as the speech progressed; they and Rep. Sarah McBride, D-Del., could be seen shouting during the address. Omar and Tlaib also yelled, "You have killed Americans!" and later left the House chamber.
Al Green ejected for second straight year after sign about Obama video
The turmoil followed the ejection of Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who was booted from the House floor for the second straight year after waving a sign that read "Black People Aren’t Apes!" The sign referenced a video Trump posted on social media this month that depicted former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as apes. Trump removed the video and said he wouldn't apologize.
Epstein survivors, Pelosi pins and targeted guest strategy
More than a dozen House Democrats invited survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as their guests, centering attention on a topic Trump has been loath to speak about and has explicitly asked the country to move on from. During the speech, Tlaib yelled, "How about those Epstein files?" Other Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, wore pins calling on the Trump administration to release all of the files.
Partial gallery empty, alternative events and Spanberger's Colonial Williamsburg response
As Trump delivered a speech of record-breaking length, the Democratic gallery was partially empty. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers attended or spoke at alternative events: a "People's State of the Union" outdoors on the frigid National Mall and a "State of the Swamp" at the National Press Club near the White House, which featured rebuttals from lawmakers and actor Robert De Niro, among others.
The official Democratic response came from Colonial Williamsburg, where Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger criticized the president across multiple fronts and predicted that voters would reject his administration’s "chaos" in November. Spanberger said, "He’s enriching himself, his family, his friends. The scale of the corruption is unprecedented. " She added, "There’s the cover-up of the Epstein files, the crypto scams, cozying up to foreign princes for airplanes and billionaires for ballrooms, putting his name and face on buildings all over our nation’s capital. This is not what our founders envisioned, not by a long shot. " Concerns over Trump's deportation tactics drove much of the Democratic pushback Tuesday, and Spanberger's stance was no different.
Signs, photos and specific grievances on the House floor
Rep. Norma Torres, D-Calif., held a sign displaying photos of Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, identified as two U. S. citizens who were killed by immigration agents in Minneapolis in January. The visible symbols, walkouts, boycotts and carefully selected guests underscored a forceful Democratic pushback against a president described in the chamber as wildly unpopular with the party.
